1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus and a portable information processing apparatus incorporating the display apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
The present invention relates to a display apparatus and a portable information processing apparatus incorporating the display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Use of icons (pictorial writings or illustrations) as one form of GUI (Graphical User Interface) is rapidly spreading. Such icons are most typically used for the purpose of starting up programs.
Methods have been proposed and used for displaying icons corresponding to functions of various programs on a menu screen. One of such known methods displays a plurality of icons in the form of a matrix consisting of m lines and n columns on a menu screen, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 5-28157.
According to this known method, a user can select a desired program function by discriminating the desired icon information based on the pattern and function name of each piece of icon information from among many pieces of icon information which are on display. A skilled person who has knowledge about the functions corresponding to many pieces of icon information and positions thereof can quickly locate and select the desired icon information without difficulty, even when such pieces of icon information are arranged in a matrix form.
For a beginner, however, it takes a considerably long time to understand the functions of different pieces of icon information. In addition, it is not easy to remember the locations of icons of concern. Consequently, beginners tend to select wrong icon.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 2-222033 discloses a method by making access to data by way of icons. According to this method, visual image of a workshop having animated icons which can freely be opened and closed is displayed in a first window opened on the display screen. The user points a desired animated icon in the first window by means of a pointing device such as a mouse, so that a second window is automatically opened on the display screen, whereby various data which have been stored are displayed in the second screen.
This method, however, has drawbacks in that the user cannot easily understand what kind of function is started by selecting each icon and in that each icon cannot easily be pointed because it is small in size, due to the use of the multi-window display.
Apparatuses relying upon display of icons of the kind described often involves a function to enable pasting of icon information on a menu screen by an operation performed through an operating device. When a large number of pieces of icon information are pasted on the menu screen, the menu screen is crowded with icons. A further increase of icons causes the menu screen to fail to display these icons. A multi-window display might be used in order to solve this problem. Such a multi-window display, however, requires a complicated hierarchical structure. In addition, the user cannot inspect all the icons at a time, because the menu screen is hidden under the window which is newly opened. The complicated hierarchical structure requires a greater number of pointing operations such as clicking, requiring a longer time of operation.
Icons of the kind described have functions to enable visual discrimination of programs such as a document forming software, table/calculation software and a graphical writing software. In order to obtain data such as the sizes of saved files, dates and time of formation of these files and so forth in each of the software, the user is obliged to numerically check data by opening an exclusive utility software containing such data or by looking into a file table which is displayed after the software is started.
Indication of data by means of characters and numerals is not friendly to beginners because such indication does not allow easy comparison of data size and requires considerable time to grasp the meaning of the data, particularly when there are many files. In addition, visual recognition of data by means of characters and numerals is not easy when the size of the display screen is small.
FIG. 57 shows, by way of example, a known menu screen in which meaningful icons are displayed against a background image on the menu screen. More specifically, pieces of meaningful icon information 2002 are displayed as three-dimensional images on the menu screen 2000, so as to facilitate understanding of the functions represented by the icons. This known menu screen is still unsatisfactory because it needs character information which helps the user to understand the meaning. In addition, this type of menu display is not suitable for devices having small screen areas, because of difficulty in visual recognition.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to eliminate or solve the above-described problems by providing a display apparatus, as well as a portable information processing apparatus, which can implement a plurality of icons of different colors and configurations without increasing memory size and which enables the user to easily grasp the functions corresponding to such icons.
To this end, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display apparatus, comprising: communicating means which performs at least receiving of a plurality of pieces of display data; first storage means for storing received plurality of pieces of display data; second storage means for storing at least one piece of first icon information corresponding to at least one of the pieces of display data and at least one piece of second icon information of a display form different from that of the first icon information; displaying means for displaying, on a menu screen, at least one of the first icon information and the second icon information; and controlling means for selecting the first icon information or the second icon information based on the number of pieces of display data newly registered in the first storage means and for controlling the displaying means so that the selected icon information is displayed on the menu screen.
With these features, the display apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention permits easy visual recognition of icon information, e.g., a file, corresponding to the display data, because the number of pieces of icon information increases in accordance with the state of input of the display data.
In particular, when a plurality of pieces of display data are received and newly registered, the first icon information is displayed if the total number of the pieces of newly registered display data including those newly registered does not exceed a predetermined value, whereas, when this predetermined number is exceeded, the second icon information is displayed. Therefore, when the number of pieces of received data has grown large, the display mode for displaying the first icon information piece by piece is switched to another mode in which the second icon information of a form different from the first icon information is displayed on the menu screen, so as to reduce the area on the menu screen occupied by the icon information, so that the remaining area can be used for various purposes.
The display apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that, when the number of pieces of the first icon information is such that the sum of display areas of the pieces of first icon information falls within a predetermined region of the menu screen, the pieces of first icon information are displayed in accordance with the number of the pieces of display data, whereas, when the number of pieces of the first icon information is such that the sum of the display areas does no fall within the predetermined region of the menu screen, the second icon information is displayed commonly for the plurality of pieces of display data. The controlling means performs selection between the first icon information and the second icon information based on the number of the pieces of the first icon information to be displayed. Thus, when the number of pieces of received data has grown large, the display mode for displaying the first icon information piece by piece is switched to another mode in which the second icon information of a form different from the first icon information is displayed on the menu screen, so as to reduce the area on the menu screen occupied by the icon information, so that the remaining area can be used for various purposes.
The display apparatus of the first aspect also may be arranged such that the display of the first icon information is performed in such a manner that a piece of first icon information is displayed for one piece of registered display data, whereas the display of the second icon information is performed in such a manner that pieces of first icon information of a number corresponding to the number of pieces of registered display data are displayed on the menu screen in a partly overlapping manner. The controlling means performs, based on the number of pieces of the display data, a control so that a plurality of pieces of the second icon information are displayed on the menu screen in the partly overlapping manner.
With this arrangement, pieces of icon information are displayed in a partly overlapping or stacked manner when the number of pieces of display data has grown large, thus enabling the user to visually recognize the number of pieces of registered display data without increasing the area occupied by icons on the menu screen. Thus, the icon information can be displayed without requiring a large space even when the number of the pieces of this information is large, allowing an efficient use of the area of the menu screen. This form of display apparatus is therefore suitable for use in implementing devices having small size of menu screen.
In the display apparatus of the first aspect, the display data may include data size information concerning the size of the display data. In such a case, the first icon information includes third icon information which is generated and displayed when the data size does not exceed a predetermined size and a fourth icon information which is generated and displayed in a form different from that of the display of the third icon information when the data size exceeds the predetermined size. The controlling means performs selection between the third icon information and the fourth icon information based on the data size information.
In this form of the display apparatus, the third icon information is displayed when the predetermined data size is not exceeded, whereas, when the same is exceeded due to increase in the size of the data, the fourth icon information is displayed. It is thus possible to switch the display mode between the mode for displaying the third icon information and the mode for displaying the fourth icon information, in accordance with the size of the display data. The user therefore can visually check the size of the display data.
In accordance with a specific form, the display apparatus of the first aspect may further comprise operation means which permits an operation to input the display data to the first storage means. In this case, the display data includes designated time information which indicates time for inspection of input information designated by a user. The first icon information includes a plurality of pieces of fifth icon information prepared in different modes of display corresponding to time designated by the designated time information. The controlling means selects one of the pieces of fifth icon information based on the designated time information, thereby changing and controlling the mode of display of the fifth icon information in accordance with the degree of urgency of the display data.
With this arrangement, the mode of display of the fifth icon information can be varied in accordance with the designated time information indicative of the time designated by the user. The user can therefore visually recognize the degree of urgency of the display data. The term xe2x80x9cdegree of urgencyxe2x80x9d is used here to mean how urgent the display data is. A higher degree of urgency means a shorter interval between the present moment and the future time designated by the user.
The display apparatus of the first aspect may be arranged such that the display data includes designated importance information which indicates degree of importance designated by a user, while the first icon information includes a plurality of pieces of sixth icon information formed in different modes of display corresponding to the degrees of importance designated by the designated importance information. The controlling means selects one of the pieces of sixth icon information based on the designated importance information, thereby changing and controlling the mode of display of the sixth icon information in accordance with the degree of importance of the display data.
With these features, the mode of display of the sixth icon information can be changed in accordance with the designated importance information. The designated importance information may be given in terms of, for example, time, data size, or the like.
In the display apparatus of the first aspect, the first icon information may be formed in a configuration different from that of the second icon information.
The user can visually discriminate, without difficulty, pieces of icon information having different meanings of function, according to the configuration of the icon information.
In the display apparatus of the first aspect, the first icon information may be formed in a size different from that of the second icon information.
The user can visually discriminate pieces of icon information having different meanings of function, according to the size of the icon information without difficulty.
In the display apparatus of the first type, the first icon information may be formed in a color different from that of the second icon information.
The user can distinguish at a glance between the first icon information and the second icon information according to their colors.
In the display apparatus of the first aspect, the display data may include designated time information which indicates time for inspection of the display data designated by a user and representing the degree of urgency of the display data. In this case, the controlling means includes a brightness control unit for controlling the brightness of display of at least one of the first icon information and the second icon information based on the designated time information which indicates the degree of urgency.
With this arrangement, the intensity or level of brightness of one or both of the first icon information and the second icon information are varied based on the degree of urgency. It is thus possible to form a display screen on which degrees of urgency designated by the user are indicated.
In the display apparatus of the first aspect, the display data may include designated time information which indicates time for inspection of the display data designated by a user and representing the degree of urgency of the display data. The controlling means may include a blinking frequency control unit for controlling the blinking frequency of display of at least one of the first icon information and the second icon information based on the designated time information.
These features ensure more accurate notification of information given to the user, by varying the frequency of blinking.
As stated before, the display apparatus of the first aspect in its specific form may further comprise operation means which permits an operation to input the display data to the first storage means. In this case, the display data includes designated time information which indicates time for inspection of input information designated by a user. The first icon information includes a plurality of pieces of fifth icon information prepared indifferent modes of display corresponding to time designated by the designated time information. The controlling means selects one of the pieces of fifth icon information based on the designated time information, thereby changing and controlling the mode of display of the fifth icon information in accordance with the degree of urgency of the display data.
This specific form of the display apparatus may be modified so as to further comprise time measuring means for measuring time to recognize the time of registration of the display data thereby producing time information. In such a case, the controlling means performs display control such that the display of the plurality of pieces of second icon information in the partly overlapping manner is executed in a time sequence based on the time information produced by the time measuring means. It is therefore possible to reduce the space occupied by many pieces of icon information, while permitting at-a-glance discrimination between old display data and new display data. This solution is useful particularly when the area of display is limited.
In the specific form of the display apparatus of the first aspect, the second storage means may include inspection checking character data which is synthetically displayed on a window for displaying the display data when the user points a point in the window. In this case, the controlling means performs control based on an operational input through the operation means, so as to synthetically display the character data in the window.
The user, upon finishing the inspection of a piece of display data, operates the pointer so that the character data is displayed in the window for the inspected display data. The user therefore can discriminate between the data that has already been looked into and the data that has not yet been inspected.
In the display apparatus of the first aspect, the display data may be composed of a plurality of types of information. In such a case, the controlling means may include a notification control unit which notifies the user of the presence of information by giving signs which act on the five senses of the user""s body, based on the contents of plurality of types of information and the state of the user.
In general, a greater number of types of display information causes a correspondingly greater difficulty for the user to discriminate each type of display data. In addition, when the situation does not allow notification of information to the user by a loud voice message, e.g., when attending a meeting in which generation of a loud voice is strictly prohibited, it is impossible to notify the user of the receipt of information if the notification is done by way of visual or auditory recognition.
In this form of the display apparatus, notification of information to the user is performed by giving signs which act on one of five senses of the user, based on the contents of plurality of types of information and the state of the user. Therefore, the user can recognize what type of information is present, based on the type of signs given by the notification control unit, regardless of the situation of the user.
The display apparatus, when equipped with the notification control function as stated above, may further comprise time measuring means for measuring the input time of the display data thereby producing time information. In such a case, the notification control unit may have a vibration generating unit that generates vibration in a stepped manner so as to stimulate the user, based on the time information produced by the time measuring means.
With this arrangement, the user is notified of the presence of information through a sign other than a visual sign, i.e., by vibration, thus enhancing the credibility of recognition by the user.
Alternatively, the display apparatus with the notification control unit, which comprises the time measuring means for measuring the input time of the display data thereby producing time information, is arranged such that the notification control unit has a voice generating unit that generates voice adjustable in a stepped manner, based on the time information produced by the time measuring means.
With this arrangement, the user is notified of the presence of information through a sign other than a visual sign, i.e., by voice which is adjustable in a stepped manner, thus enhancing the credibility of recognition by the user.
Alternatively, the display apparatus with the notification control unit, which comprises the time measuring means for measuring the input time of the display data thereby producing time information, may be arranged such that the notification control unit has a tone changing unit that changes adjustable alarming tone in a stepped manner, based on the time information produced by the time measuring means.
With this arrangement, effective notification is given to the user by a tone which is adjustable in a stepped manner.
The display apparatus with the notification control unit, which comprises the time measuring means for measuring the input time of the display data thereby producing time information, may further comprise operation means for enabling the user to input designated time. In this case, the notification control unit operates based on the designated time so as to cause one of the first icon information, the second icon information and the display data to be displayed on the displaying means.
With this arrangement, the first icon information, the second icon information or the display data is displayed when the designated time has come, thereby notifying the user of the presence of information. It is thus possible to effectively enhance the credibility of recognition by the user.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display apparatus, comprising: first storage means for storing at least one piece of display data: second storage means for storing at least one piece of icon information corresponding to the at least one piece of display data; displaying means having a menu screen on which the at least one piece of icon data is displayed; and controlling means which performs control such that the icon information stored in the second storage means is displayed on the menu screen, based on the number of pieces of display data newly registered in the first storage means.
These features causes the number of pieces of icon information to increase or decrease in accordance with the states of input and output of related information, thus enabling the user to visually recognize the files of the related information on the menu screen. Furthermore, since the pieces of icon information are arrayed in a time sequence, the user can visually recognize which one of the related information is old or new.
In a specific form of the display apparatus in accordance with the second aspect of the invention, the controlling means may perform control such that pieces of icon information displayed on the menu screen are erased from the menu display screen based on the number of pieces of the display data erased from the first storage means.
With this arrangement, the icon information is erased when the display data is erased. Therefore, the user can visually recognize at a glance the number of pieces of existing display data. This eliminates the necessity of numerical indication of information regarding the existing display data, offering a great advantage particularly when the area of the display screen is so limited as to allow display of only small fonts of characters.
A second specific form of the display apparatus of the second aspect further comprises communicating means that performs at least receiving of the display data. In this case, the controlling means performs control of display of the icon information based on the number of pieces of the display data newly registered in the first storage means via the communicating means.
In this display apparatus, the number of pieces of icon information increases in accordance with the number of pieces of display data received through the communicating means. This enables the user to visually recognize the number of the pieces of received display data at a glance of the menu screen. This menu screen permits the inspection of the received display data without requiring any complicated hierarchical structure, as well as complicated operation to be performed by the user, thus reducing the burden on the user.
The display apparatus of the second aspect may further comprise operation means which permits the display data to be newly registered in the first storage means. In this case, the controlling means performs control of display of the icon information based on the number of pieces of the display data newly registered in the first storage means by an operation of the operation means.
In this display apparatus, the number of pieces of icon information increases in accordance with the number of the newly registered display data. The user therefore can visually recognize the number of the pieces of registered display data at a glance on the menu screen. This menu screen permits the user to inspect the registered display data without requiring any complicated hierarchical structure and without necessitating complicated operational steps, thus reducing burden on the user.
In the aforementioned specific form of the display apparatus in accordance with the second aspect of the invention, the controlling means may perform control such that pieces of icon information displayed on the menu screen are erased from the menu display screen based on the number of pieces of the display data erased from the first storage means.
This specific form of the display apparatus of the second aspect may further comprise communicating means which performs at least transmission of the display data. In this case, the controlling means performs control based on the number of pieces of display data erased from the first storage means and transmitted by the communicating means, such that pieces of icon information of the number corresponding to the number of the pieces of the erased display data are erased from the menu screen.
In this display apparatus, when pieces of display data have been transmitted through the communicating means, the number of pieces of icon information on the menu screen is reduced by a number corresponding to the number of pieces of the transmitted display data. The user, therefore, can visually recognize the number of the remaining pieces of display data at a glance on the menu screen. This menu screen permits the user to inspect the registered display data without requiring any complicated hierarchical structure and without necessitating complicated operational steps, thus reducing burden on the user.
The above-described specific form of the display apparatus of the second aspect may further comprise operation means for erasing the display data from the first storage means. In this apparatus, the controlling means performs control based on the number of pieces of display data erased from the first storage means by an operation input through the operation means, such that pieces of icon information of the number corresponding to the number of the pieces of the erased display data are erased from the menu screen. This menu screen permits the user to inspect the registered display data without requiring any complicated hierarchical structure and without necessitating complicated operational steps, thus reducing burden on the user.
As stated before, the second specific form of the display apparatus of the second aspect may further comprise communicating means that performs at least receiving of the display data. In this display apparatus, the controlling means performs control of display of the icon information based on the number of pieces of the display data newly registered in the first storage means via the communicating means. In this display apparatus, the first storage means may have a plurality of pieces of attribute information for identifying attributes of the plurality of pieces of display data. In such a case, the controlling means selects, based on at least one piece of attribute information, at least one piece of icon information corresponding to the attribute of at least one piece of display data, and causes the selected icon information to be displayed on the menu display.
This arrangement permits discrimination of icon information based on the attribute of the display data, so that the user can recognize the type of display data at a glance.
In this display apparatus, the display data may include electronic mail information received through the communicating means and arrival time information concerning the time of arrival of the electronic mail information. The controlling means performs, based on the arrival time information, control of display of the pieces of icon information on a menu screen in a time sequence corresponding to the order of the arrival time.
In this display apparatus, icons of electronic mails are displayed on the menu screen in the order of arrival time, so that the user can visually recognize the number of the received electronic mails and can discriminate between current and old mails at a glance on the menu screen. This menu screen permits the user to inspect the registered display data without requiring any complicated hierarchical structure and without necessitating complicated operational steps, thus reducing burden on the user.
As stated before, the display apparatus of the second aspect may further comprise operation means which permits the display data to be newly registered in the first storage means, with the controlling means performing control of display of the icon information based on the number of pieces of the display data newly registered in the first storage means by an operation of the operation means. This display apparatus may be arranged such that the display data includes input information which is input by an operation conducted by the user, and input time information concerning the time at which the input information is input by the operation. In this case, the controlling means performs display control based on the input time information such that the so as to cause the icon information to be displayed on the menu screen.
In this display apparatus, pieces of input information are displayed on the menu screen in the order of the input time, so that the user can visually recognize the number of the input pieces of data and can discriminate between current and old information, at a glance on the menu screen. This menu screen permits the user to inspect the registered display data without requiring any complicated hierarchical structure and without necessitating complicated operational steps, thus reducing burden on the user.
The aforesaid second specific form of the display apparatus of the second aspect further comprises communicating means that performs at least receiving of the display data, with the controlling means performing control of display of the icon information based on the number of pieces of the display data newly registered in the first storage means via the communicating means. This display apparatus may be arranged such that the display data includes electronic mail information supplied from a source of the information via the communicating means, and sender information concerning the sender of the electronic mail. A plurality of the second storage means are prepared corresponding to different senders, and a plurality of pieces of character data representing portrait of the senders are contained in the second storage means. In this case, the controlling means selects one from the plurality of pieces of character based on the sender information and causes the selected character data to be displayed simultaneously with the arrival of the electronic mail information.
The display apparatus of the second aspect of the invention may further comprise operation means which enables the user to appoint a position of a display cursor movable on the display screen of the display means and to select one piece of icon information through the appointment of the cursor position. In this display apparatus, the second storage means includes first character data indicating one mode of display of the cursor and a plurality of pieces of second character data indicating other modes of display of the cursor. The controlling means performs control such that, when no operation input has been made through the operation means, the first character data is displayed on the display means, whereas, when operation input has been made through the operation means, the plurality of pieces of second character data are displayed on the display means while being selectively switched from one to another.
By virtue of these features, the mode of display of the cursor is varied in accordance with the plurality of pieces of character data when an operation input through the operation means exists in a given period. It is therefore possible to vary the display cursor in accordance with the nature of the display data.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable information processing apparatus comprising a display apparatus which may be configured in accordance with any aspect and form of the invention described hereinbefore. In general, portable information processing apparatus is small-sized and light-weight. Therefore, the size of the display in most of portable information processing apparatus is considerably smaller than that of ordinary personal computers. However, the portable information processing apparatus having the display apparatus of the present invention can display on the menu screen various types of information such as electronic mails, schedules, plans, notes, voice memos, voice mails and so forth, along a common time axis as a reference, despite the small area of display. The user, therefore, can recognize the time at which each information was received, at a glance on the menu display, based on the positional relations of the icons displayed along the time axis. The attributes of pieces of icon information can simply be discriminated by the modes of display of the icons displayed on the menu screen. This eliminates the necessity of complicated hierarchical structures such as combinations of different types of software, and enables even those who are rather unfamiliar with the operation to easily operate the apparatus. It is thus possible to provide a portable information processing apparatus which can conveniently be used by users without difficulty.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of the preferred embodiments when the same is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.